Author and lawyer
Mark Curriden enthralled the audience with his plenary speech Friday at the ISBA Solo and Small Firm Conference. Curriden detailed the trial of
Ed Johnson, chronicled in his book "
Contempt of Court: The Turn-of-the-Century Lynching That Launched a Century of American Federalism."
Curriden included many interesting tales and legal firsts brought on by the case, but the one most Illinois attorneys were taken with was the story of
Noah Parden. Parden was an African-American attorney in Chattanooga who took on the Johnson's defense. He also took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Fearing for his life after Johnson was lynched, Parden fled to Southern Illinois and practiced in East St. Louis for 40 years. He argued three cases in front of the Illinois Supreme Court.
"I was born and raised in East St. Louis and have practiced law in St. Clair County since the 1970s and have never heard that story," ISBA Past President
Jack Carey said. "What [Parden] did was remarkably brave."
Curriden said it is unclear why Parden moved to Southern Illinois. It is believed that he had family in East St. Louis and that drew him there. Curriden said he learned everything he knows about Parden from St. Clair County Judge
Milton Wharton.
Curriden was drawn to the case of Ed Johnson while as a law student at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
